


POST HUMAN: Namesake

by Serendiipitii (Lundeity)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Drama, Drama & Romance, Family, Multi, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-06 02:16:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16379501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lundeity/pseuds/Serendiipitii





	POST HUMAN: Namesake

“Charlie?”

Sudi’s voice was hoarse; all the yelling from the past two hours had taken a toll on her throat. She studied my face with a concern she had shown once before: when Dirge and I had entered the COP. That felt like millennia ago.

Now, Dirge and I sat together in a small study, hidden from the chaos that raged outside. It wouldn’t stop unless we went through with his plan. I wasn’t keen on it.

“Are you getting emotional over me, Preacher?”

A tired joke lay in his voice, and we turned our attention back to his prone form, laying out between us. The Foltash firefight had not been kind to him - you could see the bio components in his chest and legs, throbbing like real muscle and tissue; I suppose some of it still was, after all this time. Blood mixed with the yellow serum pumped into to us to keep ourselves youthful, indestructible. I was starting to hate it.

“You know, I was twelve when I first joined up.” 

I could see Dirge staring at the ceiling, and I knew where he was going, but I let him have it. What else can one offer a dying man?

“Mom dead, dad turned traitor. It was fairly obvious what I needed to do. To me, anyways. I built it all, put the anger and betrayal to good use, instead of being like my father and becoming … that. This group has been my family for a long, long time, though don’t tell Val I said that. She’d call me soft.”

He turned his head to regard me, and I felt, for a moment, like I was looking back at my children - another lifetime, another me.

“My name’s Charles. Always thought it was funny when I found out your real name. Don’t worry, no one knows,” he waved a hand at my surprised look. “It’s just … ah, you’ll call me softy anyway, so what the hell. I always considered you a mentor .. sort of father figure. Sure, we didn’t agree all the time, but so what? You were calm, wise, deadly in the face of our enemies. You joined for you, but I think you stayed for all of us, in the end. Am I wrong?”

I kept my silence, but he seemed to understand, his head bobbing slightly.

“You’re alright, Preacher. Don’t let them eat you forever, okay.”

Sudi grabbed his hand suddenly, tears running down her cheeks.

“Dirge, you’re going to be alright. We’ll get you repaired, best we can get. Don’t you quit on us now!”

My unknown namesake smiled soothingly at her pleading, and glanced at me. We both knew this was the end of the line for him, but didn’t have the heart to say it so boldly. Explosions somewhere in the distance, accompanied with screaming and shouting, brought us back to the reality of our surroundings, and Dirge’s face went grim once more.

“Look, I’m not exactly looking forward to this, but I’m on borrowed time anyways. Will you help me?”

Sudi’s face flashed between us, but she said nothing. Her arguments were long past reason - she just wanted to save a life, if she could. I didn’t blame her. She was a good soul, as my wife would say. Funny that she came to mind now. 

I rose, hands at my side loosely. We watched each other for a moment, before I stooped down and picked him up, cradling him bridal style. Sudi sat back on her heels as Dirge gave her a little salute, and we headed out towards the fighting. It felt … odd, to be someone’s pallbearer before they were dead. Dirge was just a body waiting now, he just happened to grimace when I jolted him by accident. 

“You know, I wasn’t even born here.” His voice was a low grumble, almost upset that he wasn’t a national. “Was born in the US, ended up here when we followed the tunnels. Bloody hell, Dad, couldn’t have picked somewhere a little less rebellious?”

More bodies littered the floor, of all races, and the shitstorm that awaited us ahead grew louder. A tap on my chest caught my attention. Dirge gestured to an overturned bench, and I set him down carefully, crouching beside his bleeding body. His breathing was much more labored now, and I could see he had lost the majority of his serum - borrowed time had turned into time almost out. I lay a hand on his shoulder, as if that would bring some kind of life back to him. He seemed to appreciate the gesture, and gave me a pained smile, before sticking his hand out.

“It’s been an honor, Preacher.”

I grasped his hand tightly, suddenly afraid for him.

“Call me Charlie.”

His face lit up at my words, and he nearly chuckled, coughing instead.

“Charlie. Thank you. You keep up the good fight, y’hear? Will see you on the other side, if we’ve still got one of those kicking around.”

I heard shouting and the sounds of boots running closer, and he waved me away.

“Go, get outta here!”

I took off, but something felt wrong in me just abandoning him in his final hour. I found a spot inside a partially collapsed lab, and hid inside. From where I sat, I could see Dirge - no, Charles - laboring to dig into his ribs, where the failsafe was hidden on all of us hybrids. I could hear him singing under his breath, and I felt the spark of admiration for him grow that much more. I strained to hear him over the noise around us.

“Take me home … country roads …”

I abandoned any pretense of the Preacher, and for a few moments I was the doctor from CERN who had a life, a career, a loving family - and a friend, dying before his eyes. I was frozen with fear and the longing to reach him, try to save him, but I knew it was for naught. And he’d only be angry for not letting him go the way he wished to.

“I hear her voice, in the morning hour … she calls me ..” He half hummed it now, dragging a switch down his ribs, and the soft ticking started. “The radio reminds me of my .. home far away, n’ driving down the road, I getta feelin’ … I should’ve been home yesterday …”

His words were starting to become slurred, and he half croaked his song to himself. I felt tears in my eyes, and Foltash appeared at the end of the hall finally. They were in full regalia, weapons cocked and ready to aim at anything they found. Charles glanced at them, and he seemed renewed at the newcomers. I wanted to scream at him, but it was useless - then we’d both be dead.

“Country roads, take me home … to the place .. I belong …”

The Foltash had spotted him, and began sprinting towards him, yelling at each other and him. He ignored them, now searching for the cords that connected his heart to his brain, and I saw his lip curl in a snarl of agony as he rummaged inside himself. I saw two red cords appear, and he seemed pleased with himself, just as the Foltash skidded to a stop beside him, yelling in their language. 

“West Virginia … mountain mama …. Take me home ….”

His eyes found mine, between the Foltash weapons and legs, and he gave me a curt nod.

“.... country roads …”

I ducked behind the door as the failsafe detonated. The screams of the Foltash were cut off immediately, and the only sounds I heard were falling debris and the clattering of weapons. I sat against the wall, grasping for the Preacher and finding nothing, so I let myself grieve. Dirge would not die for nothing, of this I was certain.


End file.
